All articles by Kate Donovan – Page 13
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Article
Interview with Mike Cutt: Group HR director at Boots the Chemists
Mike Cutt, group HR director at Boots the Chemists, is harmonising benefits for staff as he tackles the integration of post-merger Boots and Alliance UnichemWhile lying in a hospital bed four years ago with his legs broken in 18 places and contemplating the more important things in life, Mike Cutt, ...
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Well managed home work has its benefits
Allowing employees to work from home typically attracts mixed reactions from managers.Studies have shown that organisations which allow staff to work at home can benefit from higher productivity, commitment, loyalty and improved morale. Other advantages include more available office space and a reduction in overheads. Last month's Work Wise Week, ...
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Voluntary benefits revamp at Kent council
Kent County Council is close to selecting a new provider for its voluntary benefits scheme, which was launched in February at the same time as its provider HBOS said it was quitting the market.HBOS is servicing the scheme until September when the council hopes to relaunch it with a new ...
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BDO in quit-smoking push
BDO Stoy Hayward has launched a six-week long campaign to help employees stop smoking.The initiative has been timed to coincide with World No Tobacco Day on 31 May, and ahead of the smoking ban coming into effect in England. Staff who wish to give up during the campaign can take ...
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Analysis
Long term illness for employees abroad
Employers should check corporate practices and healthcare policies to ensure that staff working overseas are covered in the event of a serious illness, and that they are not left exposed, says Kate DonovanWhile staff based in the UK can sometimes be somewhat spoilt for long-term healthcare provision, bosses must be ...
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Ikea to switch UK fleet to lower emission hybrids
Ikea is to move its entire UK company car fleet to low emission hybrid vehicles as part of its bid to cut carbon emissions.In the first phase of its hybrid vehicle initiative, Ikea UK, part of the Swedish home furnishings company, will buy up to 50 Honda Civic Hybrid cars, ...
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Gissings launches childcare voucher product
Gissings Advisory Services is launching a new childcare voucher scheme to market.The salary sacrifice product will be marketed to its more than 500 clients and entitles employees to tax and national insurance free childcare at any Ofsted or DFES registered/approved childcare provider. The vouchers can be provided electronically and are ...
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Home Retail Group launches sharesave scheme
Home Retail Group has launched a sharesave scheme for 45,000 eligible staff.The home and general merchandise retailer which incorporates retail brands, Argos and Homebase, and which de-merged from GUS last year, will make the plan available to all employees within the group with more than six months' service at the ...
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McMillen joins Watson Wyatt as senior consultant
Watson Wyatt has appointed Mike McMillan as a senior consultant in its technology and administration solutions team.He joins the firm from MPNA where he worked as business development manager since 2000. He has over 25 years' experience in the pensions industry and will help Watson Wyatt to grow its pension ...
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Article
DC plan members fail to take up matching contributions
Nearly 40% of defined contribution (DC) scheme members are failing to take advantage of matching pension contributions offered by their employers, equating to a loss of up to £225m per annum..The Market for DC Pensions research by Xafinity Consulting also said that the low take-up of matching contributions indicates more ...
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BT to launch carbon clubs for staff
BT is to launch carbon clubs to help staff get involved with reducing carbon emissions.Next week's official launch of the clubs, which were formed from like-minded employees as a result of feedback from staff focus groups, will coincide with Environment Week and will give employees the opportunity to help reduce ...
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Small employers slow to cater for older workers
Many small businesses have yet to put procedures in place to allow employees to carry on working beyond 65 years, despite last year's introduction of age discrimination laws.So far, just 25% of firms questioned for The Ageing workforce by Lloyds TSB and Small Enterprise Research Team at the Open University ...
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Mercer appoints Griffin as health and benefits principal
Mercer Human Resource Comsulting has appointed Jacqueline Griffin as a principal in its health and benefits business.Griffin, who will be based in Leatherhead, will work with a portfolio of clients on a range of medical benefits and risk issues, as well as managing the team in that location.She joins Mercer ...
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Capping contributions to personal accounts could discourage saving
Setting a low cap on contributions to the government's proposed system of personal accounts could discourage people from saving.This is according to the Which? Personal Accounts Contribution Cap Research, which surveyed the scheme's target audience, excluding anyone earning less than £5,000 or more than £33,000 a year or who had ...
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M&S shop floor staff to share £26m bonus
Marks & Spencer store staff are set to share a £92m bonus, as the retailer plans to create 10,000 new jobs over the next three years.Stuart Rose, chief executive, said that shop floor staff will share in a £26m slice of the £92m overall bonus and that each will receive ...
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Taylor Wessing challenges rivals to sign up to payroll giving
Taylor Wessing has written to 20 of its competitors encouraging them to become involved with payroll giving.The law firm sent the letters from director of human resources, Jonathan Croucher, to outline the advantages of payroll giving, and urge other firms to either introduce a scheme or promote the concept for ...
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Not all employers are convinced by Leitch's skills pledge
Some employers are still unconvinced that making the skills pledge outlined in the Leitch report will have real benefits in the workplace.The pledge is a promise to help every eligible employee to gain basic skills and a level two qualification. Employers are reporting concerns about the quality of training given ...
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Senior civil service staff given iPods loaded with leadership lessons
Senior civil servants have been given iPods in a pilot scheme to deliver lessons in leadership skills.As part of a pilot training initiative, the video iPods, given to a small number of senior civil service staff, have been pre-loaded with 50 three-to-five minute leadership lessons.In total, the iPods cost £7,583 ...
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Manufacturing employers face barriers to reducing sickness absence
Manufacturing organisations still face barriers in reducing sickness absence levels despite continuing to invest in occupational health.Manufacturer organisation EEF's 2006 Sickness absence survey of more than 600 companies, found that almost 40% said they believe GPs, and employee resistance to rehabilitation, along with the limited capacity of the NHS to ...
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Nationwide and Portman use learning at work day to aid staff integraton
Nationwide and Portman Building Societies will use Learning at Work Day as an opportunity to increase understanding between employees prior to their planned merger 28 August.Organised by The Campaign for Learning, the Learning at Work Day takes place on 24 May and is an annual initiative which celebrates workplace learning. ...